# Need advice - Colibri lighter



## CBCyclone (Mar 21, 2007)

My newly (May 17) purchased Colibri Chancellor ran out of fuel yesterday. Following the instructions, I bled the tank of air and attempted to refill it. For some reason it won't take butane in. Any suggestions or ideas of what I may be doing wrong. My B&M is about a 20 minute drive so I figured I'd pick your brains first before spending $4.23/gallon to drive out and pick their brains.

I bought it in Ohio at one of the stops of the WPCC, and it worked fine until needing to be refilled.


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## baboruger (Jun 18, 2007)

I seem to always wonder if I am filling them correctly. I like the lighters with a clear tank or a window where you can look to make sure that you are actually filling the tank.


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## eggyellow (Apr 10, 2008)

I've got a Xikar Plunge, to refill it I just hold it upside down and press the nozzle in there for about 4 or 5 seconds (or until i see that its full, its got a little glass see through hole).


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## CGARMAN23 (May 16, 2008)

All I have to say is I have bought a few Colibri's in the past and something always seems to happen to them. They have a weak warranty and will never buy one again. If you talk to Colibri they will ask you are you using their butane, which mine have quit working with theirs and other butanes I use. I know this may not help but maybe on your next purchase you will try a different one.


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## CBCyclone (Mar 21, 2007)

In fact I am using Colibri butane. I guess you live and learn. Expensive lesson at $50 though.


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## bigpoppapuff-cl (May 7, 2007)

CGARMAN23 said:


> All I have to say is I have bought a few Colibri's in the past and something always seems to happen to them. They have a weak warranty and will never buy one again. If you talk to Colibri they will ask you are you using their butane, which mine have quit working with theirs and other butanes I use. I know this may not help but maybe on your next purchase you will try a different one.


that's one of the reasons that xikar lighters are kicking colibri's collective arses!!


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## Itsme-Speedy-G (Aug 20, 2007)

don't give up yet. most fuel replacements have a series of attachments. find the correct size and refill away. the lighter should get cold when it is filling.

good luck

speedy


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## SMOKING HANDSOME DUDE (May 24, 2007)

Try bleeding it again and refilling one more time. Let the lighter rest for about 10 minutes to let the gas settle and turn back to a liquid. If this does not work contact the mfg.


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## CGARMAN23 (May 16, 2008)

bigpoppapuff said:


> that's one of the reasons that xikar lighters are kicking colibri's collective arses!!


I agree. I have one of those also.


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## bigpoppapuff-cl (May 7, 2007)

bleed it in different directions....make sure you turn the wheel to --.....not +....


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## BeerAdvocate-cl (Sep 6, 2007)

Rojo Camacho said:


> I've got a Xikar Plunge, to refill it I just hold it upside down and press the nozzle in there for about 4 or 5 seconds (or until i see that its full, its got a little glass see through hole).


I have this one also and I love it. No problems what so ever and I got it on the Devil site for under $20! Throw your Colibri away and get a Xikar! Lifetime warranty = you cant go wrong!


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## havanitascigars-cl (Apr 29, 2007)

I have several Collibris and never had a problem except for the one that had the ignition go out after 4 years. And I do not even buy the good ones. All mine are the freebies you receive for a magazine subscription or a sampler pack of cigars, etc. 

Try holding it upside down when you fill it. Also, how did you bleed it. I know people who use a ball point pen and this can bend the fill valve or jam the ball inside. If that happens, then you are pretty much TSOL because the thing will either stay closed and you cannot put fuel in, or stay open and it just discharges everything right back out.


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## kenstogie-cl (Apr 29, 2008)

I have had maybe 5 Colibri's and (sorry) they all sucked except for one. And that one I returned to my local b&m twice. They just kept giving me new ones and finally the third one has been great but the odds of getting a good one are pretty dismal. At this point figuring lost time I would pay not to have ever had a colibri.


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## eggyellow (Apr 10, 2008)

sounds like i'll stick with Xikar lighters for now.


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## leafandale (Jan 18, 2008)

I know this doesn't answer the question, but find out if the B&M you got if from is a Colibri Premier Partner. Even though it may have a 2 or 3 year warranty, they have the green light to replace it no questions asked. At least that is what my rep has told me. 

Additionally, Colibri made some big changes about a year and a half ago. They have a new CEO who's supposedly very customer focused. They found the Chinese cutting corners on parts and fuel (big surprise there!) that were not to Colibri specs. After fixing those problems and beefing up warranties, they have had a much lower failure rate. I know thats not a consolation to Colibri owners who got stuck with crappy lighters.

Two years after kicking them out of my store, we gave them another shot based on their promise of customer satisfaction and that production issues were fixed. We have only had a small handful of lighters come back in the last year, and most of those were fixed by us and were nothing more than operator error. We have sent a total of 4 lighters back to Colibri in the last year... and THAT is amazing. 

I use a Blazer torch insert in my Zippo, so I'm not the biggest fan of Colibri and I have dealt with my share of pissed off customers over the last 10 years. But I think they are really making an effort to get back in the game and it seems to be working.


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## CBCyclone (Mar 21, 2007)

Thanks for the info, leafandale. I found out that thing has a butane leak. It leaks out almost as soon as its' put in. I talked to someone from Colibiri and they seemed very apologetic and want me to send it in for warranty repair.

You mentioned the Blazer inserts for Zippo. Do they work fairly well. I found out that my favorite beer (Straub from St. Mary's, PA) has a zippo lighter with their logo on it, and I was thinking of getting one and the Blazer insert. What's your take on the Blazer insert. Is it worth it?


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## tobacmon (May 17, 2007)

I had a Colibri lighter that was ok for the first year and ended up fallen apart. The company's warranty really stinks or did.Take my advice and try another cheaper lighter.


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## leafandale (Jan 18, 2008)

CBCyclone said:


> Thanks for the info, leafandale. I found out that thing has a butane leak. It leaks out almost as soon as its' put in. I talked to someone from Colibiri and they seemed very apologetic and want me to send it in for warranty repair.
> 
> You mentioned the Blazer inserts for Zippo. Do they work fairly well. I found out that my favorite beer (Straub from St. Mary's, PA) has a zippo lighter with their logo on it, and I was thinking of getting one and the Blazer insert. What's your take on the Blazer insert. Is it worth it?


At $12.99... it's the best torch lighter deal on the planet. It is my contention that a vast majority of smokers have a Zippo laying around the house somewhere. They don't use them on cigars because of the lighter fluid issue. Dig up that old lighter (or get a new one with a cool logo on it) and drop the 13 bucs for the insert. Well worth the money IMHO.


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## ByrneBrew (Jun 12, 2008)

I got a Xikar single torch as a freebie from CI. Caught Heck trying to fill it and get it working. Te problem I had was the Roson butane. Went to the B&M and got Xikar fluid purged, refilled waited 10 min. Has been good for about 4 fill ups. Don't know what fluid your using but at the altitude I'm at the better butane is the way to go.


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## ytford (Jan 16, 2008)

I have several colibri lighters and I have had problems with a few of the models. Some of the other models have worked fine. Havent tried the Xikars yet and would love to add one to the collection. As it stands now my best lighters and most reliable are my St Dupont extend and my lotus 1 both fill easily and work the first time everytime.


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## DBCcigar (Apr 24, 2008)

Try pumping the butane can while filling it. Most lighters require this, rather than just putting it in and holding it there....


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## baba (Nov 5, 2007)

Every Colibri lighter that I have ever purchased has gone bad. I will never buy another Colibri again.


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## DBCcigar (Apr 24, 2008)

Colibri sucks; from their field reps to their customer service. I had so many lighters to return and pissed off customers, I went with Lotus and Xikar.


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## CBCyclone (Mar 21, 2007)

Well I ended up sending it in for repair today. We'll see how that works out. Let's see, that's $53.70 for the lighter, $9.34 to ship it/insure it, and $7.50 that I had to enlclose for Colibri to ship it back to me. That's $70.54. I bought it because it was 40% off. Now it's just 21% off.

Live and learn. Next time I buy Xikar and Colibri can cram their lighters up their ass!

Has anyone ever sent one in for repair (a Colibiri?) How long does it take to get it back. The owner of my local B&M says 5-6 weeks, which seems like a really long time. 1-1/2 months to fix or replace a friggin' lighter and send it back?


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## CBCyclone (Mar 21, 2007)

Wll I got nmy lighter back today from the repair center and so far it works fine. We'll see just HOW long it wortks great for. I had called yesterday to get the status and they told me it was sent out on June 27. I said thjat I would have thought I'd have it by now and the lady on the phone sida that it takes 15 to 20 business days for shipping. I asked her: "What the hell did you ship it by? Pony Express?"

15 to 20 business days to send a package from Rhode Island to Buffalo, NY? Absolutely ridiculous. My local tocacconist, who detected the butane leak, told me that Colibri is slow in their shipping, but that's downright farcial!

Then when I went to fill it, I fould it was already full of butane. THEY SHIPPED THE LIGHTER TO ME FULL!!! Isn't that like illegal?


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## maduro4me-cl (Jun 11, 2008)

Well if you have any more trouble with it through it away and buy a Xikar. I will never own any thing else. At least not for my main lighter.


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## zion698 (Jul 13, 2007)

I have a couple Colibri lighters. I used to have issues with them. I stopped using the Colibri butane and switched to Vector butane, and they haven't missed a beat since. I would first switch to Vector butane ... it comes with different nozzle attachments so that you will have a better fit to get the butane in.


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## goyankees (May 16, 2008)

With Colibri I notice your best off using their own _gas_, the nozzle fits firmly and it fills easily. I've had the same colibri light for about 3 yrs now. Remember to always light your cigar from the side to not drop ashes into the jets...



CBCyclone said:


> My newly (May 17) purchased Colibri Chancellor ran out of fuel yesterday. Following the instructions, I bled the tank of air and attempted to refill it. For some reason it won't take butane in. Any suggestions or ideas of what I may be doing wrong. My B&M is about a 20 minute drive so I figured I'd pick your brains first before spending $4.23/gallon to drive out and pick their brains.
> 
> I bought it in Ohio at one of the stops of the WPCC, and it worked fine until needing to be refilled.


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## baba (Nov 5, 2007)

I have had this happen when the lighter was "over filled" previously. I have had nothing but trouble with ever Colibri I have EVER purchase. I will not buy anything from Colibri because of thir poor quality.


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## maxnmisty435-cl (Apr 26, 2008)

I read all these posts and nobody mentioned the best lighter on the planet.....

A RONSON from [email protected] 2.97 always works and if it dont buy a new one they only have these at the super centers and they are only by the cigs isle try it you wont be disapointed... you will never worry about losing that expensive lighter again' and yes they are refillable


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## azpostal (Jul 12, 2008)

I agree with max these cheap Ronson's work great...always use for vacation times


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